They were conducting a nighttime training mission when the collision occurred, NBC News confirmed.
Advertisement
The squadron began transition to the CH-53E Super Stallion in September 2011. There were 12 Marines aboard.
Two Houston-area Marines are among the 12 missing after two helicopters collided off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, overnight.
There is no immediate word Friday on what caused the collision or if any survivors have been found.
The two helicopters were believed to have collided late Thursday, Mooers said.
Maj. Shawn M. Campbell, 41, College Station, Texas.
Drown’s brother said in a statement, “loved his family, friends and everyone he had the chance to meet”. He never met a stranger and was always willing to help anyone he could.
“Of course the family is still hopeful”. Scott Carr told NBC News, “Everybody’s putting every available resource they have to try and find survivors from this accident”.
Searchers spotted a fire and debris field, including an empty life raft, about 2½ miles north of Haleiwa Beach and later floating pieces of debris consistent with military aircraft.
The Coast Guard is searching the debris with assistance from a Navy helicopter crew and the Honolulu Fire Department with a helicopter and rescue boat on scene.
A Marine from Hingham is missing after two helicopters collided off the coast of Hawaii Thursday night, Massachusetts State Police told WBUR’s Newscast Unit.
“I threw my blanket off, put my slippers on and ran outside thinking it was a auto accident”, she said.
The statement says they wait and pray for his return. “To bring them home safely”, she said. Neither aircraft issued a distress signal and the military only became aware of the crash after a beach-goer reported seeing a huge fireball over the ocean.
A Coast Guard spokeswoman said search conditions have been challenging because of darkness and high surf. Swells reached 16 feet, surf rose to 40 feet and visibility extended to only one mile, the Coast Guard said. “It’s just barely safe for our rescue crews to be out there, so it’s not safe for divers just yet”, said Cooper.
Advertisement
The helicopters were stationed at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Oahu, and assigned to the 1 Marine Aircraft Wing.
